Dredging apparatus



ay 13 1924., I 1,493,752 o. KOCHTITZKY DREDGING APPARATUS Filed July 23,1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Inn/anion 0550 4 00/6123 5654?.

May is, 1924. 1,493,752

0. KOCHTITZKY DREDGING APPARATUS Fnea July 23. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet '20&50 Koch/1% Attorney.

Patented May 13, W24.

OTTO KOCHTITZKY, OF CAPE GIRARDEAU, MISSOURI.

DREDGING APPARATUS.

Application filed July 23,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, )rro KooHrrrzKY, a citizen of the United States,residing in Cape Girardeau, in the county of Cape Girardeau and State ofMissouri, have in vented new and useful Improvements in DredgingApparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for steadying or bracing an excavatingplant or any apparatus including a platform or base for machinery. Thegeneral, object of the invention is to provide improved means formounting abrace or spud to hold or assist in holding a dredging plant orother apparatus, fixed during its operation. While the invention isapplicable to a dredging plant of any construction or to any otherapparatus embodying a platform carrying machinery, in the presentspecification I have described it as applied to a dipper dredge ofcommon construction. Sometimes dredging plants must be used insituations where there is hardly suflicient water to float the plantcompletely, or where there is no water and the dredge is supported on abed or frame. One of the objects of my invention is to provide amounting for the spuds onsuch a plant, which will facilitate moving orshifting the plant by its selfcontained power. I

A further object has been to provide a flexible mounting for the spud onthe frame which will permit a relative movement of spud in afore-and-aft direction of the machine base, operating to absorbdangerous strains at this point.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel features, and in the generalcombination of parts to be particularly described hereinafter, all ofwhich contribute to produce a simple and efiicientdredging apparatus. A

preferred embodiment of my invention will be particularly described inthe following specification while the broad scope of my invention willbe pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a dredge provided with mydredgingapparatus, the upper portion of the dipper boom being broken away; I

Figure 2 is a. front elevation broken away and particularly illustratingan embodiment 1921. Serial No. 487,062.

of my mounting for carrying the spud on the gantry frame in which theguiding means for the spud is slightly different from that shown inFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective showing the same mounting for the spud as inFigure 2 and particularly illustrating the arrangement of cables whichenable the spud to be raised or lowered;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing a type ofconstruction which embodies a guide sleeve such as shown in Figure 1,for guiding the spud at' the spud connection or mounting on the frame;

Figure 5 is a side elevation showing the forward end of the dredge ofthe type to which I apply my invention; and

Figure 6 is a plan particularly illustratingthe manner in which myinvention will facilitate the forward movement of the dredge in ashallow ditch which cannot fully float the hull.

c The dredging apparatus includes a base frame, platform, or hull 1 ofany desired construction, at the forward end of which an A-frame 2 isprovided, from the peak of which cables l extend to support the boom 3(see Figure 5), the lower end of the boom being stepped on theturn-table 5. The boom 3 carries the usual dipper handle 6 carrying adipper '7 at its forward end which is controlled by cables 8 and 9. Therotation of the turn-table 5 is controlled by cables 10. The dredgeconstruction also includes a gantry-frame 11 which includes a horizontalcross beam 12 (see Figure 1). The ends of the beam 12 project beyond thesides of the hull in the usual way. At these points I provide means forflexible mounting the spuds 13 and 1. 1. It should be understood thatthe construction for mounting the spuds is duplicated at each side ofthe dredge so that it will be merely necessaryto describe the mountingin detail for one of the spuds, for example, the spud 13.

In order to carry the spud on the frame I provide supporting means whichwill permit of a rotation of the spuds upon a substatially horizontalaxis transverse to the fore-and-aft line of the hull. For this purpose Iprovide an elongated bracket 15 (see Figure 2) which is connected by alarge hinge pin or shaft 16 with the upper side of the beam 12. Thisbracket is preferably a U-shape in cross-section (see Fig. 4). That isto say, the bracket presents two oppositely disposed side plates 17 and18. I provide means for supporting the spud on this bracket so that itcan rotate about a horizontal axis extending parallel with thefore-and-aft line of the dredge. For this purpose the outer end of thebracketoverhangs the end of the beam 12 and carries a heavy cross-pin19. On this crosspin 1 secure guiding means for the spud 13 in the formof an elongated sleeve 20. The pin 19 extends completely through thebracket. I provide for completely controlling the spud by cables whichmay be operated from winches or drums on the deck of the. hull. Iprovide a rope or cable for pulling the spud upwardly in its guide 20and another cable to pull the spud downwardly. Both of the ropes orcables pass from the spud at my flexible connection so that in theiroperation the spud is not subjected to any forces tending to throw itout of position. I provide other cables leading, respectively, from theupper and lower ends of the spud for controlling its position.

I shall first describe the lowering cable which, when operated, willforce the spud downwardly through the guide sleeve 20. This cable isindicated by the numeral 22. One end of the cable is secured to thesleeve (see Fig. 4) and the cable thence passes upwardly around a sheave23 at the upper end of the spud. From this point it passes downwardly ina run 22 and passes around the inside sheave 24 which is mounted looselyon the pin 19"; it passes under this sheave 24 and extends upwardly in arun 22 pass ing over the upper edge of a guide sheave 25 attached on theinner side of the spud. From this point it passes downwardly in a run 22and passes under a guide sheave 26 mounted on the other side of thesleeve. it then passes upwardly in a run 22 and passes over the upperedge of a sheave 27 which is mounted on the other side of the spudopposite to the sheave 23. From this point it passes downwardly in a run22 and under the edge of a guide sheave 28 on the further side of theside plate 18 of the bracket 15. From this point it passes by anotherguide sheave 29 with its bracket mounted on the far side of the sideplate 18 and extends in a run 22 along the beam 12 and then over sheave30 (see Fig. 1) and then down to the drum of a winch 31. Evidently byrotating the drum of the winch in a direction to take up on this cablethe spud will be forced downwardly through its guide sleeve 20. i

I shall now describe the cable 33 which operates to raise the spudthrough its sleeve. This cables end is attached on the side of the spudtoward its lower end at 13 from this point it extends upwardly andpasses over the outside guide sheave 35 which overlies the aforesaidguide sheave 24 and is rotatably mounted on the same pin 19. From thispoint the cable passes down in a run 33 and under a guide sheave 36rotatably mounted on the pin 34. From this point the cable passes up ina run 33" that passes over a guide sheave 37 mounted on the forward sideof the bracket 15. From this point the cable passes downwardly to adrum, in a run 33 being guided on suitable guide sheaves 38 and 39mounted respectively on the bracket and on the side of the beam 12. InFig. 3 no sleeve is employed, but I employ a through pin 19 and Iprovide a longitudinal slot 21 in the spud which receives the pin. henthe spud is moved up and down it is guided by this pin.

The fact that the mounting of the spud on the frame includes a flexibleconnection greatly facilitates the setting of the plant in a newposition after the bucket or dipper 7 has excavated all the materialwithin reach of the boom. This effect is illustrated in Figure -6 whichis a diagrammatic view showing the forward portion of the dredge hull 1in plan. The line 40 indicates the outline of a ditch which this dredgeis supposed to have excavated. I place the feet 41 of the spuds on thebottom of the ditch or on the banks 42, and the cables 22 and 33 arethen operated so as to force the spuds downwardly and thereby support aconsiderable portion of the weight of the hull.

Now by anchoring special cables 43 to stumps 44 on the forward bankthese cables 43 can be taken up by means of two winches 31 and 45 on thedeck of the hull. This will operate to drag the plant forward when thehull or base is resting upon the earth as in ditch digging or in dryexcavating. Such a movement of the hull will not cause any trouble atthe mounting of the spud by reason of the fact that each spud can rockon the axis of its transverse shaft or pin 16.

Whenever it is desired to swing the spuds on the pin 19 or 19 so as tochange their angle, this can be accomplished by means of a cable 46which is attached to the upper end of the spud and which is guided downto a winch on the deck; a similar cable 47 is at tached to the spud nearits foot and enables the lower end of the spud to be pulled in whendesired. and held firmly to prevent the spud from slipping out orspreading when used in operation.

One of the advantages of my invention lies in the fact that the flexibleconnection between the spud and the frame is not only especially usefulin the manner described above but it also operates to relieve anyforeand-aft strains which might be developed in the operation of thedipper.

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described hereinis only one of the many embodiments my invention may take, and I do notwish to be limited in the practice of my inventionnor in my claims, tothe particular embodiment set forth.

What I claim is: 1. In a dredging apparatus, the combination of a hull,a frame carried thereby, a

spud-holder mounted on the frame, a spud associated with said holder andprovided with a longitudinal slot, a pin in said holde1 extendingthrough said slot, and means for moving said spud longitudinally.

Q. In a dredging-apparatus, the combination of a hull, a frame carriedthereby, a spud-holder, means for supporting the spudholder on the frameat an elevated point above the hull to permit the same to rock on anaxis disposed transversely to the foreandaft line of the hull, and meanson the hull for moving the spud with relation to the spud-holder.

3. In a dredging-apparatus, the combina tion of a hull, a frame carriedthereby, a spud-holder, means for supporting the spudholder on the frameenabling the same to rock on an axis disposed substantially parallel tothe fore-and-aft line of the hull and on a second axis disposedtransversely to the fore-and-aft line of thehull, and means for'movingthe spud with relation to the spud-holder.

4:. In a dredging-apparatus, the combination of a hull, a frame carriedthereby, a bracket mounted on the frame to rock on an axis transverse tothe fore-and-aft line of the hull, a spud-holder mounted on the bracketto rock on an axis substantially parallel to the fore-and-aft line, aspud guided by the spud-holder, and means for controlling the positionof the spud with relation to the spud-holder. v

5. In a dredgingapparatus, the combination of a hull, a frame carriedthereby, a bracket mounted onthe frame to rock onan axis transverse tothe fore-and-aft line of the hull, a spud-holder mounted on the bracket,a spud guided to slide longitudinally up or down on the spud-holder, andmeans for raising or lowering the spud on the spud-holder.

6. In a dredging-apparatus, the combination of a hull, a frame carriedthereby, a bracket mounted on the frame to rock on an axis transverse tothe fore-and-aft line of the hull, a spud-holder mounted on the bracketto rock on an axis substantially parallel to the fore-and-aft line, aspud guided to slide longitudinally on the spud-holder, cablescontrolled from the deck of the hull, guided on the spud fOr raising andlowering the same, and other cables connected with the spud respectivelyabove and below the spudholder for regulating the angle of the spud.

7 In a dredging-apparatus, the combination of a hull, a frame carriedthereby, a spud located at each side of the frame, means I for carryingthe spud on the frame to permit a rocking movement of the spud on asubstantially horizontal axis transverse to the fore-and-aft line of thehull, and means for guiding the spud to move longitudinally up and down.

8. In a dredging-apparatus, the combination of a hull or baseconstructed to rest upon the earth, a frame carried thereby, a spuddisposed at each side of the frame, constructed to support a portion ofthe weight of the hull, a bracket carrying each spud on the frame andmounted to rot-ate on an axis transverse to the fore-and-aft line of thehull, and means for applying power to the hull while the spuds areresting on the ground, to move the hull forward.

9. In a dredging-apparatus, the combination of a hull or baseconstructed to rest upon the earth, aframe carried thereby, a spuddisposed at each side of the frame, means for carrying the spud on theframe and enabling the same to be raised and lowered in a vertical planeand to rock on an axis transverse to the fore-and-aft line of the hull,means for applying power to the spuds to force the same downwardly andthereby cause the spuds to support part of the weight of the hull, andmeans for applying power to the hull thereafter to effectthe forwardmovement of the same.

10. In a dredging-apparatus, the combination of a hull, or baseconstructed to rest upon theearth, a frame carried thereby, a spuddisposed at each side of the frame, means for carrying the spud on theframe and enabling the same to be raised and lowered in a vertical planeand torock on an axis transverse to the fore-and-aft line of the hull,means for applying power to the spud to force the same downwardly and,

thereby cause the spuds to support part of the weight of the hull, andmeans mounted upon the hull for applying power thereafter to effect theforward movement of the hull.

11. In a dredging apparatus, the combination of a hull or baseconstructed to rest upon the earth, a frame carried thereby, a spuddisposed at each side of the frame, means for carrying the spud on theframe and enabling the same to be raised and lowered in a vertical planeand to rock on axes parallel with and transverse to the foreand-aft lineof the hull, means for applying power to the spuds to force the samedownwardly and thereby cause the spuds to support part of the weight ofthe hull, and means for applying power to the hull thereafter to effectthe forward movement of the same.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

OTTO KOCHTITZKY.

